SUSANNA Reid appeared to make a sarcastic jibe at Prince Harry this morning – after he missed the Queen’s 95th birthday to rush home to his pregnant wife.
The TV firebrand put heavy emphasis on her birthday wishes to the monarch after Good Morning Britain co-host Adil Ray revealed the Duke of Sussex has returned home.
Read our Meghan and Harry live blog for the latest updates
Adil said: “Prince Harry has reportedly returned home to California, meaning he will miss the Queen’s birthday.”
And Susanna chipped in: “Her Majesty turns 95 today” – before raising her eyebrows and looking directly at the cameras as she said: “Happy birthday.”
She added: “For the first time in her reign, she’ll spend it without her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.”
It comes as:
- A woman sparked a major security scare after being found wandering around Prince Andrew’s official residence
- The Celeb Report shares 95 special moments as the Queen celebrates her birthday today
- The Duke of York gave the Queen two puppies to help her cope with her husband’s loss
- Kate Middleton takes her children George and Charlotte shopping with their pocket money
- The Queen was said to be ‘disappointed’ with aspects of Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview – and is firmly on Charles and William’s side
Harry, 36, flew to LA on an American Airlines flight from London, which arrived at LAX shortly after 1.30pm local time on Tuesday.
His black 4×4 was seen leaving the airport’s private terminal minutes after the plane landed and was spotted again arriving in Montecito at around 4pm.
His grandmother is today facing a lonely 95th birthday at Windsor, just days after Prince Philip’s funeral.
The day falls within the two-week period of mourning set for the Royal Family following the Duke of Edinburgh’s death.
And the monarch is expected to have a quiet day with visits from family.
Princess Anne and Sophie Wessex are likely to be among her first visitors.
The family had been hoping Harry would stay to mark the day.
However, as a result of his “tight schedule”, he has returned back to the US already.
His desire to return home to be with his wife, who is thought to be giving birth in just six weeks, is also the reason he was unable to spend much time with his father Charles, according to reports.
Harry flew into the UK on an American Airlines flight just over a week ago and spent most of his trip in quarantine at Windsor’s Frogmore Cottage.
He will now begin a second ten-day quarantine in the US.
Meghan, 39, was advised by her doctors not to travel to Britain for Philip’s funeral on Saturday.
But the Duke of Sussex is said to have written the Prince of Wales a “deeply personal” note before arriving back in the UK.
Sadly, the pair haven’t yet manged to repair their relationship, it’s reported, with royal commentator Russell Myers telling ITV’s Lorraine: “Charles and William are still very hurt.”
Sources close to the Duke of Sussex say he was “forced to write letters” after a “complete communication breakdown”, the Mirror reports.
In his letters, he told Charles of his reasons for leaving – while promising to “respect the institution”, it’s claimed.
William is understood to be struggling with how to move forward after Meghan and Harry’s TV interview, during which they accused a senior royal of making a racist comment and claimed Kate Middleton made Meghan cry.
Harry also said his brother and father were “trapped” by the monarchy – and said his relationship with William had become one of “space”.
And although the brothers were seen chatting after Philip’s funeral, their relationship is said to be “extremely frosty”.
Elsewhere, the Queen is said to be “disappointed” at some of the claims made in the interview. She publicly said she was “saddened” by Meghan and Harry’s unhappiness as senior royals – but added: “Recollections may vary.”
Mr Myers said on Lorraine yesterday that Charles had hoped to spend more time with his youngest son.
THE QUEEN FACES A ‘LONELY BIRTHDAY’
“We were told last week there was a tight schedule. Meghan is heavily pregnant so he’s got to get back,” he said.
“Charles did want to see him but was told schedule wouldn’t allow it.”
And he said Harry faces a “long road back” with his family.
“Tensions are still running very, very high,” he said.
“A lot of allegations were thrown out and it certainly wasn’t time to be settling those at the funeral.
“We do know Charles, William, Kate and Harry got together for couple of hours after funeral, but I don’t think anything was settled.”
The Celeb Report’s royal photographer Arthur Edwards, who took images at Philip’s funeral, told Susanna and Adil this morning the Queen will be “all alone”.
“It’s very lonely,” he said.
“That picture of her in the pew at St George’s Chapel – people must have cried seeing that.”
